A New Tale
by Wise-Lionturtle
Summary: A recollection of an extraordinary event which takes place directly after the fall of Ozai.
1. The Prologue

**This is going to be my second ever attempt at writing an Avatar story. It takes place approximately 40 years after the fall of Ozai, on Kyoshi Island. I fully intend to put very much effort into this story and develop it as realistically as I can. Review if you wish, I won't beg you to. However, a good kick in the ass from a good review is always helpful. :)**

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. If I did, I'd be working on a new season.**

_**-Prologue-**_

_Water_

_Earth_

_Fire_

_Air_

_Long ago the Fire Nation attempted to annihilate most existence in the world._

_Firelord Ozai, a clever and twisted man, almost succeeded in laying waste to the already scarred Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se. His attempt fell short however, when a very powerful team rose against his tyranny._

_This team consisted of the world's most elite masters; The Avatar, a powerful waterbending master, the greatest earthbender in the world, a cunning and elite warrior, the crowned prince if the Fire Nation and myself._

_Tactically and skillfully we plotted every move we made until we recognized the precise time to strike, and eventually defea…_

"You're not telling that same story again, are you Sokka?" Suki pointed out, walking down the steps from their house. The fire crackled as sparks were sent into the dark night sky. Suki walked into the area and sat on one of the logs surrounding the fire.

"You always ruin it!" Sokka griped. "It was just getting to the good part. Looks like I can't finish it now."

The children sitting around the fire all moaned. Sokka always enjoyed entertaining Kyoshi Island's younger inhabitants; whether it was because he enjoyed filling their little heads with exciting images or the simple fact that Sokka liked to look big and tough in front of them. She was fairly certain it was the latter, but nonetheless she was getting tired of hearing the same story over and over.

"Sokka, everyone has heard that story a million times. I bet they can all practically recite it from memory. Please though, continue." She replied with a smile, predicting his next words.

"Ok, so where was I?" Sokka questioned. "Oh yeah…" he got all dark and dramatic.

"…and eventually defeated him and the rest of the Fire Nation. He was nothing more than a…"

"Loser Lord." Everyone sitting around the fire mimicked as Sokka said it. He blushed a little as Suki began laughing.

"Hmmph…" grumbled Sokka. "I suppose that story is becoming a little over told."

"Alright now kids, time for everyone to part ways for the night. It's getting late and I don't want all your mothers getting worried." Suki shooed everyone away.

All of the kids grumbles and moaned, but eventually got back to their homes safely. Suki had been lectured before by their mothers when Sokka kept them out too late with his stories. They all appreciated it, but children need sleep.

She sat down next to Sokka across the campfire.

"Pretty captivating story I have to admit." she added.

"I'm losing the touch." He replied, putting his arm around her back and leaning in closer.

"Well I for one always enjoy them!" she said with a little laughter in her voice. "Come on, it's getting late." She gestured for him to follow.

"Yeah, you're right." Sokka stood up and arched his back a little, hearing it pop. "Wow, that was a good one."

The older couple walked slowly back to their home, each of them enjoying the others company. As they entered the house Suki brought up a valid point.

"You should tell them something different, maybe something they don't know by heart." she laughed.

"Well that's pretty good if they know them by heart, because I definitely do not." He laughed. "To be honest, I remember most of the story…. as I'm telling the story."

She laughed and then gave him a serious, questioning glance.

"My memory is fine Suki, it was just a joke." he returned the glance, a little more sarcastically.

"Well good, I don't want your memory slipping. It's hard enough to take care of you as it is." she replied.

"Take care of me? Pssh, woman I.." she eyed him down with that last statement. "Ok, you're right. You're pretty darn good to me."

They both climbed into their bed and laid down for the night's rest. They exchanged goodnights and Suki drifted off to sleep immediately. Sokka lay deep in thought about the story he was going to tell.

It had to be something amazing, something captivating; the story to end all stories, something that would take days to finish.

Then he sat straight up, eyes wide. He knew exactly what to tell the children, and if this didn't top them all, well then he didn't know what would. He smiled with his new peace of mind, and lay his head on the pillow and drifted off to sleep.


	2. The New Tale

**-The New Tale-**

Suki woke up to some noise coming from her kitchen. She got out of bed and started getting ready for the day.

"I guess I'm waking up now!" she yelled across the house. She heard a sudden slam and what sounded like multiple items falling to the ground, followed by dead silence.

"Uh, sorry!" Sokka replied. "Just fixing something to eat." He added.

"Sounds like you're fixing to break something, to me." She joked.

"Uh, very possibly." He replied, laughing a little.

She walked into the kitchen and saw Sokka sitting at the table, going to town on his concoction of a breakfast he had created.

"What d'ya call that?" She asked, gesturing towards the meal he had. She was sure she saw something moving in it, she cringed in disgust.

"Frhrph Burphrmr" he replied.

"Really Sokka, do go on." She said, watching him use no table manners at all.

He swallowed. "Hodge Podge." He then continued eating the meal he had placed before him.

"Your appetite will never cease to amaze me." She laughed.

He finished the monster of a bite he had taken and then took a breath of fresh air.

"So, I figured out what story I'm going to tell tonight. A story I've never told." He announced before going back to his breakfast.

"Oh, really?" She said, half doubting what he was saying. "What story would that be?"

"Mrphomrp Burmphr Drmerhp" he grumbled, grabbing a glass of water and finishing off the last of his meal.

"Sounds like a real winner." She laughed.

"I said, I am going to tell them about Iroh."

Suki's heart skipped a beat and she looked Sokka dead in the eye. "You can't be serious Sokka, they're just children." She recalled the particular story he was going to tell, and shuddered.

"I'll lighten it up a bit, besides..." He looked towards the ground. "…the man deserves it."

Suki relaxed a bit, still very much in doubt over this news.

"I don't know Sokka…."

"It'll be fine. You can even listen in and make sure nothing not to your liking is said."

"…Alright." 

The day went by and all Sokka could think about was telling the kids this story. He was certain it would not be a sit-down-and-listen kind of story. This was a spend-a-week-listening story.

Dusk finally fell upon Kyoshi Island and Sokka took his place by the fire in the center of the village. The children gathered for a few minutes then all waited to what Sokka had to say this night. He was trying to make it as dramatic as possible, but it just ended up really cheesy.

"So, I have a new and exciting story for you all to hear tonight!" he made a dramatic face, wiggling his hands around. Suki couldn't help but laugh a little bit. However, the children seemed captivated.

"Is it the one where you were stuck in a hole for almost a whole day?" one of the kids asked.

He pointed in her direction, "No… good guess though." He felt a little embarrassed. He silently cursed himself. _I should have never told that story._

A silence befell the group as everyone watched Sokka think to himself. He snapped back into reality and looked at all the eager faces.

"…Anyway, like I was saying." He got all dramatic again. "A tale of untold proportions!"

"Sokka, shut up and tell the story already!" Suki demanded. Everyone laughed.

"Ok, well. It was a few days after Firelord Zuko's coronation, when all of the sudden….."

_Crash_

The sound could be heard from miles away. One who was not in the near vicinity would assume a building had collapsed.

Everyone's attention was now focused on Toph, sitting in a wooden chair in the corner of the room. They had been staying in Ba Sing Se for a few days, relaxing. They spent most of their time at the Jasmine Dragon, enjoying the peace and quiet of simply drinking tea. Until just then.

Zuko turned around and stared Toph down. "You bent a rock at me!" Zuko yelled.

"Oh relax, it missed you didn't it!" she replied with a slight grin on her face.

"I heard it whistle by my head!" he yelled again, this time a little more frustrated. "Plus, you're sitting in my chair, I was just there!"

"I don't see your name on it." She replied, happily teasing the newly appointed Firelord to no end.

"It's right here!" he pointed, jabbing his finger to the back of the chair, which clearly read "Zuko".

"Hmm, must have missed that, oh well." Toph replied as she waved her hand in front of her head sarcastically, then leaned back in the chair further.

Katara and Suki were laughing at this whole ordeal playing out, while Aang, Sokka and Iroh had stepped out onto the front patio of the Jasmine Dragon.

They were staring into the night sky, it had to be close to midnight. It was a clear sky and the only thing visible was the moon, gleaming overhead and casting its light in every direction.

"You know…" started Iroh. "…even after everything I've seen in my lifetime, the simplest things are what I appreciate the most." He widened his arms towards the sky briefly.

"It is one beautiful sky tonight." Replied Aang

"Yeah, it really is." Agreed Sokka.

A few moments passed as the trio continued to stare into the sky, lost in their own thoughts. The occasional argument was heard behind them or one of the two older girls trying to prevent any extensive damage to anything.

As they were taking in everything the night sky had to offer, a transparent figure passed in front of the moon briefly, heading west it appeared. Aang and Iroh were both taken back.

"Did, anyone else see that?" Aang questioned.

"See what?" said Sokka.

"Yes, I do believe I saw it." Confirmed Iroh.

"Saw what?" questioned Sokka, now a little more interest in what they were talking about.

"Something just flew in front of the moon, something big." Said Aang.

"Yes, that was very strange." Agreed Iroh.

"I was staring at the moon the whole time, I didn't see a thing." Sokka stated.

"You must have just not been paying attention." Said Aang.

"I am curious to know what that was." Said Iroh, rubbing his beard a little bit. He was quite startled at that. He had not expecting something to cross in front of the moon. What could it have been, it looked somewhat like a dragon. That was impossible though, the only two remaining dragons alive would never venture this far out.

"It was probably nothing important." Replied Aang.

Sokka just shrugged and started to walk back inside; where he soon discovered a shattered chair, a currently-being-healed Zuko and a hysterically laughing Toph.

"I don't know if it was nothing." Stated Iroh. "It is definitely something I will be looking out for."

Aang could tell that Iroh was a little unnerved at what had just happened. Aang had just assumed it was a quickly moving cloud or something along those lines. It was moving too, in unison, for it to be a cloud though.

"What are you thinking it was?" He asked Iroh.

"I'm not sure, my first thought was a dragon…" he started. Then very nervously said, "but they're all gone."

"Right…" Aang said. "they're gone." He was still unsure if he should talk with Iroh about visiting the Sun Warriors. He would talk with Zuko about it later.

"What else could it have been?" Aang added.

Iroh thought for a moment, however all his ideas seemed a little too farfetched for him. "One of lifes many mysteries I suppose." He said as he shrugged it off.

They walked back inside to where there was now an even more hysterically laughing Toph, chunks missing from the floor and Sokka laying on the ground with his arm over his eyes groaning.

"I'm sorry," said Katara, pointing to another bent out of place chair. "we'll pay for it. Well, Sokka will!" she exclaimed.

"Really, there's no need. It's just a chair." Iroh calmy said. "They are very replaceable."

Katara nodded and dragged her brother across the floor. She propped him up against the wall.

"Well, it's getting late." Continued Iroh. "I believe it's time for everyone to hit the hay." He said yawning.

Sokka stood up with Suki. All of the children gave displeased groans.

"What was that thingy in the sky?" questioned one child.

"What happened inside?" asked another.

"I will continue the story tomorrow guys." Sokka replied. "It's getting late though, time for everyone to head out."

Many unhappy kids got up and lazily walked back to their own homes and after a couple more attempts at prodding more words out of Sokka, they finally gave up and left.

Sokka and Suki walked back to their home and got ready for bed. Sokka's mind was full of ideas of how he was going to continue the story the next night.

They exchanged goodnight kisses and fell to sleep immediately.


	3. A Not So Average Day

**-A Not So Average Day-**

The following day went by very fast as business went on as usual. Tonight was the full moon, so there would be plenty of light. He was eager to begin telling his story tonight.

As night fell on Kyoshi Island, everyone gathered in their usual places around the campfire, even bringing a few friends along who hadn't normally been there. Sokka was overjoyed that people were spreading the word of his "Story of a Lifetime" after just one night, and even how short the first telling was.

Sokka stood up and examined the crowd. "Looks like we have some newcomers." He smiled.

Suki walked out of their house and took her spot next to him before the story telling began. She too noticed the amount of people had increased.

"The next day was very strange, it began very similar to the last time." He started

_Rumble Rumble._

Sokka sat straight up after hearing the sound. He pounded on the wall a couple times. "Toph!" he yelled. "Stop earthbending, it's too early!" He heard the sound cease and laid back down in attempt to catch a few more minutes of sleep.

_Rumble Rumble._

"Toph! Knock it off!" he yelled.

He heard a voice from the other room, "It's not me!" she screamed, "how come every time there's a loud noise everyone blames me!"

Sokka heard Zuko yelling this time. "Because you're always making one! Like right now!"

"Well," Sokka said outloud to himself. "I guess I'm getting up." He noticed Suki had gotten up sometime earlier, he wasn't sure how long though. He walked out of his room when the rumbling started again, violently shaking the building. He stumbled and then caught himself on the wall.

"What is that?" he asked as he ran down the stairs to the main room. Aang, Suki and Katara were all standing around a table, bracing themselves on it. Their chairs had fallen over and there were various items on the floor.

"What's going on?" he questioned again, to his friends this time.

"It's an earthquake, stupid." Suki looked at him, seriously questioning his rationality. "What else would it be!"

"Hey, the last few times the earth has been shaking it was always an earthbender, I was just assuming."

"Well, it's not." Katara said. "It's been happening all morning, in fact I'm surprised you slept through most of what you did."

Zuko walked out into the room after just waking up. "Sounds like some earthbenders got into a fight right in front of here." He said. Sokka gave Suki a "See?" look.

Toph lazily walked down the stairs before stopping briefly, everyone was wondering why she stopped. She paused for a moment and then let out a violent sneeze towards the ground, almost lifting her off her feet. She continued walking down the stairs and eventually greeted them.

"Sup." She said, still half asleep. The rumbling began again and everyone braced themselves except for Toph. She just stood there, showing off her amazing ability to keep her balance. The rumbling stopped.

"What could that be?" asked Aang. "It has too much of a pattern to be a natural earthquake."

"Perhaps we should go see what Uncle thinks." suggested Zuko, pointing in the direction of the Jasmine Dragon. It was not too far from the inn where they were staying.

Everyone agreed and began getting ready for their day. After a couple minutes everyone met back in the main room, and left to go to the Jasmine Dragon. When they walked in, Iroh greeted them with a smile.

"Afternoon." He said.

Sokka was angry with himself for sleeping in so long.

"Uncle, do you have any idea what's causing these earthquakes?" asked Zuko, figuring his all knowing uncle would have the answer.

"We're in Ba Sing Se, Zuko. There's bound to be some earthbenders…. Bending." He replied, sure of his statement.

Suddenly a shadow cast over the Jasmine Dragon and much of the surrounding buildings. Aang looked outside as he saw a giant, transparent foot step down about twenty yards ahead of the building. He gaped in awe. When the foot hit the ground, the rumbling began.

"That's what it is!" Aang pointed out towards the giant of a creature he had just seen. How could he have missed that on their walk over.

Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing, and saw nothing. Sokka noticed a little kid out in front of the building, holding onto some railing for his dear life.

"You!" he yelled. "So you're the one causing this!" Sokka pointed at the kid, who quickly noticed him and scurried off.

Aang looked at him in confusion. "Can't you guys see that thing?" He pointed again, making sure they were looking in the right direction. Although it didn't do much good, it was big enough to see in any direction.

"I see it" said Iroh. "What is that giant beast." He questioned.

Aang was fairly happy, that made two of them.

"I don't see a thing." Said Katara. Sokka and Suki nodded.

"I see it!" yelled Toph. Pointing in the direction Aang was.

"That makes three of us, that's grea…" Aang eyed her down. "Why do you have to do that."

She just laughed.

"Well how come only me and Iroh can see it." He questioned.

"It is a spirit world inhabitant, Avatar." Iroh claimed. "It must be."

Aang gasped, "Why would a spirit world creature be here.." he paused for a moment as he came to a sudden realization, everyone joining him in equal awe. "Wait, _you_ can see into the spirit world?"

Iroh nodded. "And whatever that thing is, it's going in the same direction that our little mystery was headed last night. That's why he couldn't see it." He pointed to Sokka.

"Wait, two spirit world sightings in less than a day." He questioned. "That's odd."

"Could just be coincidence." Said Zuko, obviously wanting to just shrug this off.

"We have to follow it, something must be wrong." He looked at the rest of his friends.

They all gave him a questioning look back.

"How are we going to follow it, if you're the only one who can see it. Are we just going to follow you the entire time?" asked Suki.

"Not necessarily," Toph placed her hand on the ground. The rumbling struck again, this time slightly weaker than before. "I can feel where the earthquake is originating from, I can follow it's footsteps."

"Even if we did follow it, what are the chances something is wrong. It could just be, I dunno, passing by?" said Katara.

As if on cue, a flying bug-like creature flew straight over the other one, and continued off in that direction. Iroh pointed it out to Aang, who then noticed.

"That's three, we have to go now." He stressed his point.

"So soon, can a guy get a chance to rest around here." Sokka complained.

"You woke up not forty minutes ago Sokka." Katara sternly said.

They all walked to where Appa was being kept and hopped into his saddle, Sokka groaning the whole way.

"Yip yip!" yelled Aang and Appa took off into the air, following the creatures.

"Even if we do find where they're going, and find out something is wrong. What are we going to do?" questioned Suki.

"I don't know, but it can't hurt to look." Replied Aang.

"Speak for yourself." Toph said, collapsing back onto the floor of the saddle.

It took them an hour to catch up to the walking creature, even though he wasn't moving very fast, his step had to cover half a mile every time he took one.

"This thing is enormous!" yelled Aang as they approached it. Pointing to where the creature was. Everyone just looked at him like he was crazy; the only thing from actually assuming that was the fact that the rumbling was heard every so often.

They followed the creature for a while longer before everyone started to get tired and bored.

"Look, we've been flying straight for hours now Twinkle Toes, it's obvious where this thing is headed. Let's go back and wait until tomorrow or something." Toph said, leaning her head against the saddle and groaning.

"She's right, Aang." Said Katara. "We can't just follow this thing forever, we would be flying for days in the direction it's headed."

Aang sighed. "I just wanted to figure out why we saw three of them in one day."

"It could be any number of things!" Zuko exclaimed. "It could be that they are just walking, have a good time!"

Aang finally submitted and turned Appa around. He was still a little uneasy about it, but decided to put that thought aside.

About halfway back Appa started to descend towards the ground.

"Aang, what are you doing?" Sokka asked.

"I'm not doing anything, Appa is just tired." He replied. "We'll just have to walk for a while I guess."

Sokka just shrugged. "Well, find a town or something we can land in, just in case we have to spend the night."

"I was planning to; I see a town up ahead." He said, pointing to some buildings a few miles ahead of them.

As they approached the town it became very clear that anyone that lived there had left a long time ago. It was a ghost town.

"Just our luck." Said Zuko as he climbed off Appa and landed on the ground.

"We'll just have to set up camp, again." Said Suki.

"I was just getting used to sleeping in a bed too." Sokka said, very disappointed.

"Half the time you fall off the bed and sleep on the floor anyways." Said Katara jokingly.

"Yeah, yeah." He replied. "Well, I'm going to try to find some food." He announced.

Suki looked around confused, and then turned to Sokka. "Where are you going to find food at…?"

"Beats me." He said. "But I'll find it."

Sokka walked off on his own. He was certain there was going to be something he could eat around here. He saw a rat scurry by here and there, but decided against eating rats.

There didn't seem to be any plant life to him, so finding any fruit, nuts or berries was definitely out of the question. He walked a little further and went around the corner of a house. Behind it appeared to be a garden with many different vegetables.

"Oh well, I guess this works." He said. He wondered how the vegetables stayed alive for this long. He reached down and grabbed hold of a carrot and tugged on it. When he pulled it out he got dust.

"I guess there really is no food in this place after all." He said out loud to himself.

He started walking back to where the others were sitting on some chairs on the porch of a house. As he was greeted with a couple questioning looks.

"No food, anywhere." He said.

"That's ok; I think Appa is up for the journey back." Aang said, looking at Appa who then roared. "It's not that far anyways, maybe forty minutes or so." He added.

They all got back up and into Appa's saddle.

"Yip Yip" Aang said as Appa took off into the air headed towards Ba Sing Se.

They were riding for about half an hour before they could see the walls of the city looming in the distance. As they entered the city limits, they began looking for the inn they were staying at. After locating it, they all went their own ways for a good night's sleep after such a strange and hectic day.

Sokka looked around the campfire at all the eager faces awaiting his next words. He stood up and popped his back again.

"End of day, end of story." said Sokka. Everyone around the campfire knew what he meant; some started complaining while others were asking questions about the story. After spending a while trying to shoo them away, eventually most of them left and he started walking with Suki towards their house.

"Did you really have to spend a good couple minutes talking about your exploration of food." She laughed.

"Hey, all I remember is that I was very hungry and there was no food. That's crisis situation right there."  
He said with a smirk.

"Whatever you say."

She headed towards their room while Sokka stayed behind.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I'm going to stay up for a while longer." he said.

"How long is that going to be?" she said. "Don't stay up too late."

"Shouldn't be long."

"Alright." She said as she walked into the room.

Sokka stayed wide awake, staring out into the night sky thinking about the story he was telling.


End file.
